April 7, 1806

Monday April 7th 1806.
This morning early the flesh of the remaining Elk was brought in and
Drewyer with the Feildses departed agreeably to the order of the last
evening. we employed the party in drying the meat today which we
completed by the evening, and we had it secured in dryed Elkskins and
put on board in readiness for an early departure. we were visited today
by several parties of indians from a village about 8 miles above us of
the Sahhalah nation. I detected one of them in steeling a peice of lead
and sent him from camp. I hope we have now a sufficient stock of dryed
meat to serve us as far the Chopunnish provided we can obtain a few
dogs horses and roots by the way. in the neighbourhood of the
Chopunnish we can procure a few deer and perhaps a bear or two for the
mountains. last evening Reubin Fields killed a bird of the quail kind
it is reather larger than the quail, or partridge as they are called in
Virginia. it's form is precisely that of our patridge tho it's plumage
differs in every part. the upper part of the head, sides and back of
the neck, including the croop and about 1/3 of the under part of the
body is of a bright dove coloured blue, underneath the under beak, as
high as the lower edge of the eyes, and back as far as the hinder part
of the eyes and thence coming down to a point in front of the neck
about two thirds of it's length downwards, is of a fine dark brick red.
between this brick red and the dove colour there runs a narrow stripe
of pure white. the ears are covered with some coarse stiff dark brown
feathers. just at the base of the under chap there is narrow transverse
stripe of white. from the crown of the head two long round feathers
extend backwards nearly in the direction of the beak and are of a black
colour. the longest of these feathers is two inches and an half, it
overlays and conceals the other which is somewhat shorter and seems to
be raped in the plumage of that in front which folding backwards
colapses behind and has a round appearance. the tail is composed of
twelve dark brown feathers of nearly equal length. the large feathers
of the wings are of a dark brown and are reather short in proportion to
the body of the bird in that rispect very similar to our common
partridge. the covert of the wings and back are of a dove colour with a
slight admixture of redish brown. a wide stripe which extends from side
to side of the body and occupyes the lower region of the breast is
beautifully variagated with the brick red white and black which
pedominate in the order they are mentioned and the colours mark the
feathers transversely. the legs are covered with feathers as low as the
knee; these feathers are of a dark brown tiped with the dark brick red
as are also those between and about the joining of the legs with the
body. they have four toes on each foot of which three are in front and
that in the center the longest, those one each side nearly of a length;
that behing is also of good length and are all armed with long and
strong nails. the legs and feet are white and imbrecated with
proportionably large broad scales. the upper beak is short, wide at
it's base, black, convex, curved downwards and reather obtusely
pointed. it exceeds the under chap considerably which is of a white
colour, also convex underneath and obtusely pointed. the nostrils are
remarkably small placed far back and low down on the sides of the beak.
they are covered by a thin protuberant elastic, black leatherlike
substance. the eyes are of a uniform piercing black colour. this is a
most beautifull bird. I preserved the skin of this bird retaining the
wings feet and head which I hope will give a just idea of the bird.
it's loud note is single and consists of a loud squall, intirely
different from the whistling of our quales or partridge. it has a
cherping note when allarmed something like ours.— today there was a
second of these birds killed by Capt C. which precisely resembled that
just discribed. I believe these to be the male bird the female, if so,
I have not yet seen.— the day has been fair and weather extreemly
pleasant. we made our men exercise themselves in shooting today and
regulate their guns found several of them that had their sights moved
by accedent, and others that wanted some little alterations all which
were compleatly rectifyed in the course of the day. in the evening all
the Indians departed for their village.

Monday April 7th 1806

This morning Drewyer & the two Fields Set out agreeably to their orders
of last evening, the remainder of the party employed in drying the
flesh of the five Elk killed by Shannon yesterday. which was completed
and we had it Secured in dried Shaved Elk Skins and put on board in
readiness for our early departure. we were visited by Several parties
of Indians from a Village about 12 miles above us of the Sahhalah
nation. one of them was detected in Stealing a piece of Lead. I Sent
him off imedeately. I hope now we have a Sufficient Stock of dryed meat
to Serve us as far as the Chopunnish provided we can obtain a fiew
dogs, horses and roots by the way. in the neighbourhood of the
Chopunnish under the Rocky Mountains we can precure a fiew deer, and
perhaps a Bear or two for the Mountains.

The day has been fair and weather exceedingly pleasent. we made our men
exersise themselves in Shooting and regulateing their guns, found
Several of them that had their Sights moved by accident, and others
that wanted Some little alterations all which were compleated rectified
in the Course of the day except my Small rifle, which I found wanted
Cutting out. about 4 oClock P M all the Indians left us, and returned
to their Village. they had brought with them Wappato, & pashequa roots
Chapellel cakes, and a Species of Raspberry for Sale, none of which
they disposed of as they asked Such enormous prices for those articles
that we were not able to purchase any. Drewyer returned down the river
in the evening & informed us that the nativs had Sceared all the Elk
from the river above. Joseph & reuben Fields had proceeded on further
up the river in the canoe, he expected to the village.

I provaled on an old indian to mark the Multnomah R down on the Sand
which hid and perfectly Corisponded with the Sketch given me by sundary
others, with the addition of a circular mountain which passes this
river at the falls and connects with the mountains of the Seacoast. he
also lais down the Clark a mos passing a high Conical Mountain near
it's mouth on the lower Side and heads in Mount Jefferson which he lais
down by raiseing the Sand as a very high mountain and Covered with
eternal Snow. the high mountain which this Indian lais down near the
enterance of Clark a mos river, we have not Seen as the hills in it's
diretion from this vally is high and obscures the Sight of it from us.
Mt Jefferson we Can plainly See from the enterance of Multnomah from
which place it bears S. E. this is a noble Mountain and I think equally
as high or Something higher than Mt. St. Heleansa but its distance
being much greater than that of the latter, So great a portion of it
does not appear above the range of mountains which lie between both
those Stupendious Mountains and the Mouth of Multnomah. like Mt. St.
Heleans its figure is a regular Cone and is covered with eturnial Snow.
that the Clarkamos nation as also those at the falls of the Multnomah
live principally on fish of which those Streams abound and also on
roots which they precure on it's borders, they also Sometimes Come down
to the Columbia in Serch of Wappato. they build their houses in the
Same form with those of the Columbian Vally of wide Split boads and
Covered with bark of the White Cedar which is the entire length of the
one Side of the roof and jut over at the eve about 18 inches. at the
distance of about 18 inches transvers Spinters of dried pine is
inserted through the Ceder bark inorder to keep it Smooth and prevent
it's edge from Colapsing by the heat of the Sun; in this manner the
nativs make a very Secure light and lasting roof of this bark. which we
have observed in every Vilege in this Vally as well as those above.
this Indian also informed me the multnomah above the falls was Crouded
with rapids and thickly inhabited by indians of the Callah-po-e-wah
Nation. he informed he had himself been a long way up that river &c.